Sunday, January 31, 2010

this past week i took a strollthrough st. vincent's,our town's goodwill of sorts.

i like to walk through(while everyone is at school)to look at furniture, purses, jewelry,and picture frames.i'm searching for a giant frame for mycincinnati zoo poster.it is larger than a movie posterby about four inches.and all the quotes i've gotten so farare upwards of $200.so i keep hoping i'll stumble uponthe perfect match somewhere.

anyway, i purchased some ribbon.twenty five spools of thin ribbon.in one bag!for $1.99!

"what the hell?"mm asks.

"it was $1.99, the possibilities are endless!"i say.

but honestly, he's mostly right,i don't really knowwhat the hell to do with all this ribbon.but it was $1.99.totally justified.

bonus confession:last night was m's first slumber party.i missed her terribly.i barely made it through the night.i slept with my cell phone.(and we used some ribbon on the gift, yo!)

Friday, January 29, 2010

5. MOOOOMMMMMMM! g bumped me and i went into the lava!(g don't bump your sister into the lava, please)4. MOOOOMMMM! m bumped me and made me fall out of the sky!(maybe because you bumped her into the lava?)3. MOOOOOMMMMM! (fill in the blank) ate both of the mushrooms!(seriously?)2. MOOOOOOOMMMMMMM! m took the propeller hat and i got stuck with the fire flower and i didn't want the fire flower because it was my turn to have the propeller hat!(here take mine!)1. MOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM! now she took the last power up! it was my only chance to get one and now i'm small and i lost my yoshi, she made me lose everything! and she made me fall into a ditch. just like always.(???)

i usually turn it off between #3 and #2.sometimes i let it get to #1.and sometimes they work through it and actually cooperate.for a little while.who even bought this freaking game?oh yeah, me.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

the first family fun night we attendedat the elementary schoolwas when m was in kindergarten.she was five, g was three, and k was one.

mm came home from work early,i took a shower,a small miracle in those days!i even dried my hair.the heavens rejoiced.

i put on sparkly clean clothesand went to help g get dressed.while i was putting on his jeans, he says,"i have to pee."i was about to say, "okay, just a second,"but i only got to, "okay,"and he started peeing. on me.breathe. count. breathe.i changed my shirt, jeans, and socks,yes, socks.we went to family fun night.

i was way grumpy,mm chased k all over the gymnasium,g cried because he didn't win the"throw the football through the teeny-tiny hole" game,and m made some kind of sand art thingthat spilled in the car on the ride home.it was exhausting.

so - point being -we didn't exactly have the highest expectationswhen family fun night appeared on our radar a few fridays ago.but we are a family darn it!and we know how to have fun!right?!?right!

this year, m is eight, g is six, and k is four.we all got dressed and ready and headed over to the gym.m went with her friends,we didn't see her for the rest of the night.bittersweet.g ran and wrestled with his buds,and k took turns following each of them around.it was kind of nice.we chatted with parents, had cookies, laughed.what could go wrong?

well, part of the fun night included tickets.tickets to put in prize bags for a raffle later in the evening.each person got five.i went with the girls and put oursin various restaurant certificate bags.(i actually won the panera one, sweet!)then the boys went to put their choices in.i hear someone crying.it sinks in.that is my kid.my middle kid.the boy.he is crying and whining at mm.i walk over. "what the heck?" i say."he thinks you put the ticket in and then take the prize," mm says."he wants the chuck e. cheese one," he further explains.

so mm takes g out of the gym weeping about his prize.the drama!did i mention we are fun?'cause we are, really we are.

after a time out, we salvage the evening.he returns, we go on to have a great time.we make it home and get them all into bed.mm gets a text.wouldn't you know,g wins the chuck e. cheese party for four.

um, yeah. way to reward that tantrum!thanks a lot. no really.i'm sure there is a lesson here somewhere?!?right?!?

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

yesterday was dentist day.my kids love the dentist.they go, get their teeth cleaned,get a new toothbrush,we all get ice cream after.exactly 30 minutes after.what's not to love?

this visit was different.my mommy radarwas on high alert.because our brownieshad just completed a badgecalled healthy habits.including a field tripto a pediatric dentist.

there were video games in the waiting room!train tables!books, toys, highlights!a friendly staff of hygienists and receptionists!and there was dr. matt.they all gave up their evening to teach our girls.it was a fabulous field trip.

and everything she and her staff did,annoyed me.a lot.it suddenly became clear,that while she takes great care of meand mm,she is no dr. matt.

three events have me searchingfor a new dentist for my children.

first, our reception.walking into the dentist's office,with three young kids,the whole staff lookedat uslike deer in the headlights.

now while i expect this lookat nordstrom's or saks' -i don't at the dentist.

second, k.she has always been my bravest kid.but since an unfortunate decisionto let her choose the h1n1 flu mist,she is now terrified of doctors.(note to ya'll - 4 yr. olds and mist don't mix)she let the hygienist look at her teeth,but she would not let her clean them.

the hygienist says,"don't you want to be like your big sister and big brother?"k screams,"no!"and cries.

and that was it.no cleaning for k.i felt like saying,"seriously, that's all you've got?"

and third, g.the dentist looks at his teeth.says to the hygienist,"i would put a filling in #x."

he asks,"what's a filling?"(techno jargon follows)tears.he asks,"what's a cavity?"(more techno jargon)he asks,"how do you fill it?"(techno, techno, drill, more techno)

seriously? did you just say drill?

more tears.mouth clamps shut.she seems exasperated,"g, i need you to open your mouth."then to me,"why won't he open his mouth?"

"because you just said you were going to put a drill in his cavity.""well, not today.""well, you didn't tell him that.""oh."

i convince him to finish the exam.i tap his foot to comfort him.i encourage him every step of the way.he powers through.then asks 442 million questions on the ride home.

then, to top it all off,they didn't give us any free toothbrushes!and she told m she needs braces.but not today, remember to say, NOT TODAY!sheesh.

Friday, January 15, 2010

possible reasons why mmtwists the toothpaste lid so tightlythat the next person(ahem, me)can't open it AT ALL -every day!A. he just doesn't know his own strength.B. he has always done this, i'm just wimpier from not working out.C. since i'm just wimpier (see B) - he is secretly retraining my biceps.D. he has committed to slowly driving me bat-sh*t crazy.E. i'm already bat-sh*t crazy, and this is all just a bad dream.F. so if anyone breaks into our house, he/she won't be able to brush.G. all of the above

please feel free to take this poll,there's a little wager on the outcome.and it's delurking day!

Sunday, January 10, 2010

yesterday m had a gymnastics meet.we were out the door at 10am.and home around 7pm.she had an awesome day, btw.

aside from the glorious feeling of just sittingfor 5 straight hours with no kids,and it was completely glorious,here's what i ate yesterday.

breakfast - eggo waffle and coffee.before meet snack - dollar french fries from mickey d's.at the meet, let's call it lunch - combos and pepsi.dinner on the way home - crispy chicken sandwich from wendy's.(with more fries and sprite)i'd like to lie and say this was unusual.but it's really not.

Friday, January 8, 2010

find a daisy.so stinkin' cute.brownie.a little attitude, but still pretty cute.junior.all attitude, but who can resist a gal in green?cadette.hard to find,i was one, yeah i know.senior.very rare, you should probably get her autograph.or an ambassador.bow down.

buy a box or five.$3.50 each.

this year our brownies voted foran overnight trip to the zoo.fun times.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

i swore it had to be a hernia.i was all ready to make my appointment.with the doctor.the hernia doctor, duh.for surgery.to fix me up.

then mm says,"are you sure you didn't bump into something?""maybe it's just sore muscles?""have you been doing crunches?"this made me laugh, a big belly laugh, more soreness, ow."when did you first notice the pain?"

well -it all started around the holidays.halloween, thanksgiving, christmas.aha!

Monday, January 4, 2010

last night i was sitting on our couch,staring at the three orchids,thinking how pretty they are,even though they never bloom.try as i might,they just don't.and yet i don't stop taking care of them.i keep nurturing,maintaining,but no blooms.maybe they needa different window?a new view?

curious.

then my thoughts turned to children,my three children.and how similar they are tothe three orchids.

i love them.i water them,keep them leafyand green.

but are they blooming?truly blooming?or maybe i am so caught upin the nurturing,the maintaining,that i'm not noticingthe blooms?maybe they needa different window?a new view?

and then there is me.the mama pajama orchid.so defensive about resolutions.change.am i nurturing myself?maintaining?just barely leafyand green,i'd say.

and while there is a lot to be said for maintaining,(i'm finding it completely exhausting!)what i really want,more than anything,are the blooms.

the sweet, fragrant blooms.

and so there you have it,what i am focused on this year.blooms.for while i am a master gardenerof all things leafy and green,i am still learninghow to bloom.